As is known, cardan mountings serve the purpose of mounting a first, e.g. fixed, part in relation to a second part, e.g. a part that can be moved relative to the first part, in such a way that an angular displacement between the two parts can take place virtually unhindered as long as frictional forces remain negligible. For this purpose, the two parts are each attached pivotably to at least one cardan ring, for example, wherein the two pivoting axes are arranged at right angles to one another.
Various air vents for guiding an air stream, which are used in heating, ventilation or air-conditioning systems, particularly for passenger compartments in motor vehicles, for example, are furthermore already known from the prior art. The air vents are fitted in an air duct or an air feed line and usually comprise a housing having a front air outflow opening and a rear air inflow opening and an insert, which is arranged in the housing and by means of which the direction and/or the intensity of the air stream emerging from the air vent can be modified. An air vent of this kind is disclosed in EP 2 340 178 B1, for example.
Supporting the insert of an air vent of this kind in the housing of the air vent, e.g. by means of a cardan mounting, allowing the insert to be moved into virtually any desired angular position relative to the housing in order in this way to enable the direction of the air stream emerging from the air vent to be determined, is furthermore likewise known. In addition, a further adjusting means, e.g. in the form of an adjusting wheel, by means of which the intensity of the air stream emerging from the air vent can also be controlled, is often provided on the front side of the air vent. However, this results in a relatively complex internal structure of air vents of this kind, taking up a relatively large overall volume and/or significantly restricting the options for arranging the adjusting means on the air vent.
Given this situation, it is the underlying object of the present invention to provide a cardan mounting, in particular for an air vent for use in passenger compartments of motor vehicles, which has a structure that is as simple and compact as possible and which, at the same time, requires a small number of components, thus making it possible to achieve savings both as regards the weight of the mounting and also as regards the time for assembly. The cardan mounting should furthermore have damping, such that the ventilation nozzle remains in a position set by the user. The intention is furthermore to provide an air vent that has a compact structure and furthermore facilitates arrangement of an adjusting means for controlling the intensity of the air stream emerging from the air vent.